It is very common in today’s society when the topic of minorities is brought up to immediately think of African Americans. In the wake of the current immigration issues and laws, it is also now common to think of Mexicans. It is oftentimes a black vs. white debate in every aspect that many forget how much of a melting pot the United States really is. There are so many ethnic groups that have come to this country, some seeking ‘the American dream’, and thrive. The ethnic groups that have set foot into this country have left their marks, whether it be through food, dance, or dress, and in some form or fashion shaped the country to what it is today. This can be seen in theatre. The arts is an outlet of expression for a lot of people. When the immigrants first arrived to this country, they were starting fresh. New place, very different from their homes with different languages and cultures. The immigrants did not fit in and longed to create a home for themselves, this was the birth of ethnic theatre. Ethnic theatre in the United States was something created for the minorities by the minorities. Each group that landed in this country set up their own space, in a theatre form, for their community to gather including Native Americans, Blacks, French, German, Chinese, Norwegian, Swedish, Polish, and so many more. It was a way for like people to come together and express not only themselves, but their culture. The theatre seemed to create a place of comfort for those in a new place. It also attracted others from their home countries to come with their dreams and join. The ethnic theatres allowed immigrants to retain their culture and teach those who may have been American born, the history of their ancestry. With that being said, the productions were informative and included ideologies common to the country, but many attended the plays for entertainment and emotional release. The theatre would also include comedy and tragedy, and the occasional Shakespeare or other classics of world theatre. Of course, like with so many things in life, there were some challenges both inside and out. Money issues, fights among the playwrights and actors, as well as opposition from other community members threatened the ethnic theatres. However, the ethnic theatre would overcome these hurdles and boundaries and thrive into the early 1900s. These different ethnic groups would host hundreds, sometimes thousands, of people and some would even take their productions on the road to those living in smaller towns or areas. Ethnic theatre would see a decline through the Great Depression. Some immigrant and black theatre were able to survive through federal assistance. There was a large portion of actors, directors, and writers from ethnic theatres that went on into the mainstream theatre world, bringing their cultural aspects with them and thus reshaping mainstream theatre. However, after WWII, there was a revival of ethnic theatre with a surge of new immigrants from Puerto Rico, Europe, Latin America, and Asia. It is also during this time that the civil rights movement, focused on equality for blacks, brought about an increase in awareness among Hispanics, Native Americans, and Asian Americans. This era of ethnic theatre was challenged by other outlets of mass media, which was now available in these ethnic languages, but continued its’ best to school and entertain. The ethnic theatre in this era also tried very hard to reach the mainstream communities, as well as to educate them on the issues that impacted their communities. Most importantly, in my opinion, is that ethnic theatre allowed those of the ethnic communities to break out of the stereotypical roles that mainstream that tried to box them into.
This can be seen in theatre. The arts is an outlet of expression for a lot of people. When the immigrants first arrived to this country, they were starting fresh. New place, very different from their homes with different languages and cultures. The immigrants did not fit in and longed to create a home for themselves, this was the birth of ethnic theatre. Ethnic theatre in the United States was something created for the minorities by the minorities. Each group that landed in this country set up their own space, in a theatre form, for their community to gather including Native Americans, Blacks, French, German, Chinese, Norwegian, Swedish, Polish, and so many more. It was a way for like people to come together and express not only themselves, but their culture. The theatre seemed to create a place of comfort for those in a new place. It also attracted others from their home countries to come with their dreams and join. The ethnic theatres allowed immigrants to retain their culture and teach those who may have been American born, the history of their ancestry. With that being said, the productions were informative and included ideologies common to the country, but many attended the plays for entertainment and emotional release. The theatre would also include comedy and tragedy, and the occasional Shakespeare or other classics of world theatre. Of course, like with so many things in life, there were some challenges both inside and out. Money issues, fights among the playwrights and actors, as well as opposition from other community members threatened the ethnic theatres. However, the ethnic theatre would overcome these hurdles and boundaries and thrive into the early 1900s. These different ethnic groups would host hundreds, sometimes thousands, of people and some would even take their productions on the road to those living in smaller towns or areas.
Ethnic theatre would see a decline through the Great Depression. Some immigrant and black theatre were able to survive through federal assistance. There was a large portion of actors, directors, and writers from ethnic theatres that went on into the mainstream theatre world, bringing their cultural aspects with them and thus reshaping mainstream theatre. However, after WWII, there was a revival of ethnic theatre with a surge of new immigrants from Puerto Rico, Europe, Latin America, and Asia. It is also during this time that the civil rights movement, focused on equality for blacks, brought about an increase in awareness among Hispanics, Native Americans, and Asian Americans. This era of ethnic theatre was challenged by other outlets of mass media, which was now available in these ethnic languages, but continued its’ best to school and entertain. The ethnic theatre in this era also tried very hard to reach the mainstream communities, as well as to educate them on the issues that impacted their communities. Most importantly, in my opinion, is that ethnic theatre allowed those of the ethnic communities to break out of the stereotypical roles that mainstream that tried to box them into.